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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26423755">different, but not broken</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KalteHerz/pseuds/KalteHerz'>KalteHerz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Whole Valley is Gay [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stardew Valley (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aromantic, Aromantic Alex, Coming Out, Crying, Feelings of being Broken, Gen, Haley/Abigail mentioned</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:56:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,271</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26423755</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KalteHerz/pseuds/KalteHerz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex finds himself confronting his feelings and finds help from an unexpected place</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Whole Valley is Gay [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1627609</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>different, but not broken</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The beach wasn't usually a place to escape to - half the town visited regularly - and Elliott and Willy lived there. But it was one of the few places with open space to kick a football. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex had come down to practise his throws. He was good at them, but there was no one else who could throw so he had no way to perfect his catching.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d only gotten a couple of sets in when Haley wandered down. Alex desperately looked around for somewhere to hide or someone else for her to talk to, but the beach was uncharacteristically deserted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She made her way over to him and, as his stomach dropped, he realised it was Thursday. Haley had just come back from the lake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't that Alex hated Abigail, quite the opposite. It was just that he had to endure Haley’s rants after each meeting. Neither of them had anyone else to go to. Plus, they were best friends, so he felt an obligation to be there for Haley.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today, she had a skip in her step, that was a good sign. It couldn’t be any worse than last Thursday.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess what?” Haley couldn’t contain herself, Alex could see her vibrating in place; this meant anything from a confession to one second of eye contact. He decided to humour her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We got through a whole conversation!” Haley bounced up and down on the spot, flapping her arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s an improvement. What about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t realise before, but we both love gems. Admittedly, for different reasons, but still. Abigail thinks they’re edible - don’t ask me how she still has teeth - and she disagrees with me about prismatic shards but we have something in common, other than, y’know, the parent thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex could feel his concentration dropping. He focused on spinning the football in his hand, the balance and precision needed to keep it moving, the way it flowed from ---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you’re not listening, are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex visibly jumped as Haley glared at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here, pouring my heart out to you about my unrequited love and you’re playing with the football? Am I that much of a bore to listen to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex mumbled under his breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, what was that?” Haley gave him a withering look and he relented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not boring, the subject matter is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She spluttered but Alex continued before she could interrupt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I don’t mean Abigail, I mean the combination of you and Abigail and all the stuff that you want from that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haley crossed her arms, tapping her foot in annoyance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then, we can talk about you and your crush. You’ve never told me about them and you know all about me and Abigail.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex mumbled again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, I know it’s embarrassing, but I feel like this should go back and forth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, he said something unintelligible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alex, my dearest friend, you need to speak up a--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I DON’T LIKE ANYONE, OKAY!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stared at each other for a minute, Alex breathing heavily and Haley holding hers. No one wanted to be the first to look away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t mean to-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘I shouldn’t have-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They waited a beat before Alex nodded towards Haley.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn't have pushed you. You clearly didn’t want to talk about it.” She sat down in the sand and started running her hand through it. “I’m making this worse, sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex watched Haley for a while, his face showing his internal debate. Eventually he spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t mean to yell at you.” A couple moments passed. “I think I’m gonna go now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked off the beach, Haley feebly trying to call him back.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Alex didn’t know what possessed him to go to the museum, other than it was somewhere people wouldn’t look for him. There wasn’t anyone else there apart from Gunther, who looked up in surprise. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex stormed into the display area and collapsed into the corner, hoping desperately that he wouldn’t start crying. He noticed himself staring blankly at an amethyst. With no input, his brain pulled up that it was Abigail’s favourite gem. That single piece of trivia was enough to push him over the edge.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Alex’s body was racked with sobs. He hadn’t cried since his mother died and that was years ago. He let himself be consumed by the emotion.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Alex wasn’t sure how much time had passed but he came to awareness with Gunther kneeling in front of him, his face very concerned but slightly confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Alex… are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he could speak, Gunther interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you aren’t, otherwise you wouldn’t be crying. Let me rephrase, are you hurt, do you need a doctor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex rubbed his eyes in a desperate attempt to clear them of dried tears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhhh… no, I’m not hurt. Sorry, didn’t mean to disturb the library.” He started to get up but Gunther shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You've obviously had something major go on. If you want to talk about it, I’m free, if not, I can get you some food and wait with you until you’re ready to go.” He gave Alex a glass of water and a box of tissues before moving himself to sit next to him, leaning against the wall. “So, do you feel up for talking?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steeling himself, Alex tested his voice, making sure it wouldn’t crack, before speaking.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“It’s just… Haley keeps talking about Abigail and how she’s got a crush on her and they spend all this time together and they just seem so happy. And I feel like I’m missing out on something. I don’t think I’ve ever had a crush on someone, not even a celebrity.” Alex looked at Gunther and felt like a child looking at their god. “Does that make me broken?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat in silence for a moment. His mind racing, Alex thought he’d crossed a line. Before he could say something, Gunther cleared his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not broken, though it definitely feels like that sometimes.” Gunther was staring into the middle distance. “Especially when everyone around you starts to get partners and you find yourself on your own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex felt a quiet settle over them as he processed this information.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This may seem like a stupid question,” he began. “But how do you know all this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a small, sad smile, Gunther answered, his voice barely above a whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was in your position. Lewis had discovered Marnie, Evelyn and George had been going strong for a couple of years, Willy and Marlon too, even though they’ll never admit it. I was alone. I threw myself into my history, finding the origins of the Stardrop and Yoba, why the monsters are here but not outside the mines, where the dwarves come from, everything.” He turned his gaze to Alex. “Keep your friends. Even if it feels like all they care about is their partners, keep them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gunther pushed himself to his feet, bones creaking, before turning and offering a hand to Alex. He accepted it gratefully, muscles stretching out after being hunched over for so long. They both walked back to the library counter, Gunther grabbing a single book off the shelf on the way. He scanned it through the system before handing it to Alex.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This may help. If you ever have questions or want someone to talk to, you're always welcome. Don’t feel like a stranger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alex glanced at the book title, ‘Notable Figure Through History’. He wasn’t one for books, but he figured he’d give this one a try. He said his goodbyes and left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he wandered slowly back home, he resolved to ask his grandma about Gunther.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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